Phlox plant named ‘Dophloxearpica’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Dophloxearpica’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; purple violet-colored flowers with red purple to purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPHLOXEARPICA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dophloxearpica’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new early and freely-flowering Phlox plants with attractive flower color.

The new Phlox plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary selection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number PA09-000167-004, not patented. The new Phlox plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the mutation parent in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in July, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since July, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dophloxearpica’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dophloxearpica’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Purple violet-colored flowers with red purple to         purple-colored centers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Phlox have purple violet-colored flowers with red purple to purple-colored centers whereas plants of the parent selection have dark purple violet-colored flowers without a contrasting-colored center.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of Phlox paniculata ‘Sweet Summer Snow’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Phlox and ‘Sweet Summer Snow’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are smaller than plants of ‘Sweet         Summer Snow’.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox have smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely flowering than plants         of ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.     -   4. Plants of the new Phlox flower about two weeks earlier than         plants of ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.     -   5. Plants of the new Phlox have smaller flowers than plants of         ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.     -   6. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Sweet Summer Snow’ differ in         flower color as plants of the new Phlox have purple         violet-colored flowers with red purple to purple-colored centers         whereas plants of ‘Sweet Summer Snow’ have white-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plant of ‘Dophloxearpica’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 13-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Phlox production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were pinched one time about one week after planting rooted young plants and were three months old when the photograph was taken and 20 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata ‘Dophloxearpica’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary     selection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number     PA09-000167-004, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days             at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown             as a container and garden plant; upright, outwardly             spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit;             moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 26 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: Freely branching, about             four to five primary lateral branches develop after             pinching. Length: About 26 cm. Internode length: About 2 cm             to 5 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to outwardly             spreading. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A             tinged with close to 165A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6 cm to 7 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm to 3 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 191A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             close to 144D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 191A; venation, close to 193B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 144D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and             salverform flowers arranged in compound terminal and lateral             panicles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly; freely             flowering habit with about 50 to 55 flowers per             inflorescence and about 1,200 flowers developing per plant             during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants             begin flowering about ten weeks after planting; plants             flower in July in The Netherlands; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Conical. Color: Close to 155A becoming closer to 64C             with development.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 12 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 11 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower diameter, proximally.—About 2 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe             length: About 9 mm. Lobe width: About 9 mm. Lobe shape:             Roughly orbicular. Lobe apex: Rounded. Lobe margin: Entire.             Lobe texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Throat texture: Pubescent; slightly rough. Tube texture:             Pubescent. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 81D;             towards the apex and base, close to 74B; towards the             margins, close to 155D. When opening, lower surface: Close             to 81D; towards the margins, close to 155D. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 81D; towards the margins, close to             155D; at the base, close to 74B; venation, close to 81D;             with development, color becoming closer to 81D. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 81D; towards the margins,             close to 155D; venation, close to 81D; with development,             color becoming closer to 81D. Throat: Close to 78B;             venation, close to 78B. Tube: Close to 78B; venation, close             to 78B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, campanulate. Length:             About 7 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid.             Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 146C.             When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 146C             tinged with close to 187A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 cm to 8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 45° from lateral             branch axis. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A tinged             with close to 165A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 35° from peduncle             axis. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to             155C. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 8C.             Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 1.7 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft,             three-parted. Stigma color: Close to 8C. Style length: About             1.4 cm. Style color: Close to 144D with a purplish blush.             Ovary color: Close to 143A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from −20° C. to 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Phlox     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Dophloxearpica’ as illustrated and described. 